Ralf 4th after US GP Friday Qualifying

For the BMW WilliamsF1 team Friday's qualifying for the United States Grand Prix would see Ralf lead Juan Pablo, with the drivers in fourth and fifth positions respectively.

For Ralf his comeback after his break at Monza was certainly what the team needed in order to assist in the constructors championship. Ralf should also be able to assist his team-mate Ralf had commented: "My head is still aching a little, but that's normal. I'm confident for the coming days"

For Juan Pablo he could be content with the fact that he finished the session three places ahead of his rival Michael Schumacher. Juan Pablo said: "A victory on Sunday would be great. Many Colombians are here."

Ralf had achieved the top speed in qualifying, with the BMW WilliamsF1 drivers set the benchmark speeds 353.9 km/h for Ralf and 352.2 km/h for Juan Pablo. this brought the following comment from BMW's Dr Mario Theissen: "It's not looking too bad for us."

As qualifying started heavy cloud was over the circuit. It would be championship leader Michael Schumacher who was first out. After making a small mistake in the first corner, where he was to run wide, Michael would cross the line with a time of 1m:10.736, which was faster than the 2002 pole time.

Next was Juan Pablo Montoya, and in a quick and clean lap Juan Pablo would finish his lap with a 1m:10.372, 0.364 seconds quicker than Michael. McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen would take to the track and after been quickest in sector two, would lose time in the final sector to set a time of 1m:10.756.

After his forced absence from the Italian GP Ralf Schumacher would return to the track at the United States Grand Prix. Ralf would make one small mistake in his lap but he would still set a quicker time than his team-mate Montoya to move into first by 0.150 seconds.

Next was Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello. Rubens would be 0.2 seconds up through the first sector, and he would continue this pace through the lap setting the quickest time with a lap of 1m:09.835. Next came Renault's Fernando Alonso but as he went out on his lap drops of rain would begin to fall making the conditions slightly more difficult. His lap would see him set a time of 1m:10.556. McLaren's David Coulthard would put in a clean if not fast lap, setting a time of 1m:10.450.

Renault's Jarno Trulli, fastest in private testing and the first free practice, was out on the track and was very quick through the first sector. He would continue this as he went around his lap to end up with the quickest time, a 1m:09.556. Jaguar's Mark Webber would be next and he would set a time just behind Rubens with a time of a 1m:10.081. The final driver in this second group was BAR's Jenson Button. His lap would see him struggle, been over 2 seconds down through the second sector. He would finish with a time of 1m:11.847.

Jordan's Giancarlo Fisichella lead out the third group of drivers. As he went through his lap he was a full second down through the first sector, ending with a time of 1m:12.227. As Toyota's Cristiano da Matta started his lap it was beginning to drizzle making the conditions even more difficult. Da Matta would finish with a 1m:11.949. For Sauber's Heinz Harald Frentzen the conditions were difficult with his car sliding over the track. He would lose time in the second sector, ending with a time of 1m:13.541. For those drivers who were coming out in the last two groups the rain certainly ruined their qualifying hopes.


With Olivier Panis out on the track the rain was getting heavier. Olivier was using slick tyres in the wet conditions, resulting in a slow lap of 1m:17.666. BAR's Jacques Villeneuve would go out with intermediate tyres. Jacques would end with a time of 1m:18.547.

The last group of drivers was lead out by Sauber's Nick Heidfeld. Nick was on full wets, setting a time of 1m:17.768. Jordan's Ralph Firman, returning after his accident in Hungary, was out on track and even though he completed a lap with no errors would be a huge margin behind the lead times. Ralph's lap time was a 1m:19.383.

Jos Verstappen would go out onto the track, but would pull into his garage without setting a lap time. Jos was hit by an electronic problem that affected the running of his engine. Next acme Jaguar's Justin Wilson, taking to a wet circuit. Justin would finish in eighteenth with a time of 1m:19.491. Minardi's Nicolas Kiesa was the final driver out, setting a time of 1m:21.973.

The big question for the rest of the weekend will be the weather. If it rains on Saturday the times set in this qualifying session may be those that define the grid for the race.